In this article, I will start from a professional point of view, detail the definition of heat treatment sapphire, principle, identification methods and market status, as well as the difference between heat treatment sapphire and natural sapphire.
Definition of heat treatment sapphire
Heat treatment of sapphire refers to the process of heating natural sapphire to improve its color and transparency. This process is usually carried out in an environment of high temperature and pressure, which can make the color of the sapphire more saturated and bright, while improving its transparency and brightness.
The process of heat treating sapphire
The process of heat treatment of sapphire is usually carried out in a high temperature and high pressure environment, and the specific steps are as follows:
1. Prepare raw materials
First of all, we need to prepare natural sapphire as a raw material, and choose a sapphire with good quality, high transparency and lighter color for heating treatment.
2. Washing and drying
The raw materials are washed and dried to remove dirt and moisture.
3. heat
The sapphire after cleaning and drying is heated in a high temperature and high pressure furnace. The temperature and time of heating depend on the quality of the sapphire and the degree of improvement needed, generally between 1200 ° C -1800 ° C, and the time varies from a few hours to a few days.
4. cooling
After the heating treatment is completed, the sapphire needs to be removed from the high temperature and high pressure environment and placed at room temperature for natural cooling.
5. Qualification and grinding
Heat treated sapphires need to be identified and polished to remove imperfections and irregular shapes to make them more beautiful and commercially valuable.
It should be noted that the process of heat treatment of sapphire needs to be carried out in professional laboratories and equipment, and relevant technology and experience are required. At the same time, heat treatment sapphire may have an impact on its internal structure and physical properties, so it needs to be professionally identified and evaluated.
The principle of heat treatment sapphire
The principle of heat treatment sapphire is to change the distribution and concentration of impurity elements containing iron and titanium by heating, thereby improving its color and transparency. In the environment of high temperature and high pressure, the impurity elements of iron and titanium will be redistributed, making the color of sapphire more saturated and bright, while improving its transparency and brightness.
The identification method of heat treatment sapphire
The method of identifying heat treated sapphire is similar to that of identifying natural sapphire, but special attention needs to be paid to the following points:
Observe color
The color of heat-treated sapphires is usually more saturated and brighter than that of natural sapphires, but sometimes it can take on some unnatural colors, such as purple or green. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully observe the color of sapphire to determine whether it is natural.
Look inside
The internal structure of heat treated sapphire usually has some special textures and bubbles, which are caused by the heating process. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully observe the internal structure of the sapphire to determine whether there are traces of heat treatment.
Measure physical properties
The physical properties of heat treated sapphire are usually the same as those of natural sapphire, such as hardness, density and refractive index. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether the sapphire has been heat treated by measuring these physical properties.
Heat treatment sapphire market status
Heat treated sapphire is very common in the market because it can improve the color and transparency of the sapphire, making it more commercially valuable. The price of heat treated sapphire is usually cheaper than natural sapphire, so it is very popular in the market.
It should be noted that some businesses may pass off heat treated sapphire as natural sapphire for sale, so special attention needs to be paid to its authenticity when buying sapphire. It is possible to determine whether a sapphire has been heat treated by observing the color, internal structure and physical properties.
The difference between heat treatment sapphire and natural sapphire
The difference between heat treated sapphire and natural sapphire lies in its color and internal structure. The color of heat treated sapphires is usually more saturated and brighter than that of natural sapphires, but sometimes it can take on some unnatural colors. The internal structure of heat treated sapphire usually has some special textures and bubbles, which are caused by the heating process.
Conclusion
As a jewelry appraiser, I believe that heat treated sapphire is a very common and common gemstone that can be heated to improve its color and transparency, making it more commercially valuable. It should be noted that when purchasing sapphire, special attention needs to be paid to its authenticity, and it can be determined whether the sapphire has been heat treated by observing the color, internal structure and physical properties.
Related topic:
- What is Ceylon Sapphire?
- How Much Is a Ceylon Sapphire Per Carat?
- Are Ceylon Sapphires Good Quality?
